Ladyhawke at Scala

On paper, a vibrant night of music dabbling between indie rock, synth-pop and new wave should never fail to disappoint the cosmopolitan audience of London. Kings Cross’ Scala was the host last night as New Zealand-born singer-songwriter Ladyhawke (Pip Brown) took to the stage with an extensive set featuring songs from her previous records and tracks from her new album Wild Things.

Brown appeared on stage with cool confidence and ready to showcase her talent with opening number Wild Things. Laden with 80s-coloured synths and pumping pop beats, the New Zealand singer absorbed the audience in neon lights and sonic colours to kick the night off in fine fashion. However, The River and A Love Song fell short in imagination and lacked her usual spark: both featuring in her latest album, it felt as if some mainstream-friendly filter washed away Ladyhawke’s distinctive edgy character. It was up to old favourites like Magic, Back Of The Van and Paris Is Burning to excite the audience once again and tremble high energy in the venue.

Despite the occasional miss-hits, Professional Suicide brewed a mysterious yet electric force that echoed classic synth pop legends such as Gary Numan. Golden Girl radiated a summery vibe and anthemic chorus that ramped up the energy level of the audience, while Let It Roll got the night’s locomotive accelerating in the latter half of the set with its blistering rhythms and glimpses of retro video game music swooping around the track’s turbo setting. Above all, she saved the best for last with an encore that inlcuded My Delirium, arguably the emblem of her musical career. Driving along the musical motorway with voltage-laden guitars, sprinting drums and euphoric vocals, Ladyhawke coaxed an irresistible impulse that galvanised the crowd’s energy.

On reflection, the audience enjoyed being immersed in the brooding yet fizzing energy of Ladyhawke’s music. While no one can overlook the commanding presence Pip Brown stamps on the stage, especially after the energetic encore, many of the songs were only catchy enough to get the fans bopping rather than jumping or singing along.